The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure and may not constitute prior art.
Data processing systems generally include a plurality of printed circuit boards housed in a box-shaped cage. The cage includes a plurality of card guides defining slots into which the printed circuit boards are inserted. It is known to arrange the plurality of card guides in an array such that the printed circuit boards can be installed side by side to improve packaging efficiency. This arrangement, however, reduces available space for airflow that is used to cool the heat-generating components on the printed circuit boards.
Other aspects of the typical cage design also adversely affect the cooling of the printed circuit boards. The typical cage design includes card guides having pairs of flanges to clamp the printed circuit boards. The card guides must be made wider than the thickness of the printed circuit boards such that the printed circuit boards can be slid in the slots between the flanges. The cooling air flows across the card guides first before it flows across the printed circuit boards. Since the card guides are wider than the thickness of the printed circuit boards, the card guides prevent the cooling air from flowing close to the surfaces of the printed circuit boards for efficient cooling. Without sufficient cooling, the printed circuit boards are susceptible to heat failure.